Let’s explore the best credit card options for beginners.
Building credit is a journey, and choosing the right credit card is your first step. Here’s a breakdown of some fantastic options for beginners:
1. Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account openingEarn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases.
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- No Annual Fee: You won’t have to worry about an annual fee eating into your rewards.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use it abroad without extra charges.
- Considerations:
- While it’s a great card for shopping, it may not be the best fit if you’re looking for travel-specific rewards.
Quick details at a glance:
Card Rewards Offer – 3% Cash Back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services
Annual Fee – $0
Foreign Trans Fee – None
Balance Transfer Fee – Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Here are more detailed features of the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards for Good Credit
- Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
- Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards
- Cash back won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how much you can earn
- No foreign transaction fee
- No annual fee
- You’re covered by $0 Fraud Liability for unauthorized charges
2. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
- Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Generous Travel Rewards: Earn double miles on every purchase and enjoy benefits like airport lounge access.
- Annual Travel Credit: Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel.
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Credit: Get up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: Use it internationally without extra charges.
- Considerations:
- The $395 annual fee may be a drawback for some beginners, but the benefits can offset it.
Quick details at a glance:
Card Rewards Offer – 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Annual Fee – $0
Balance Transfer Fee – Balance Transfer Fee applies to balances transferred at a promotional rate
Foreign Trans Fee – None
Here are more detailed features of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won’t expire for the life of the account and there’s no limit to how many you can earn
- Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
3. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- Why It’s Great for Beginners:
- Simple Cash Back: Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases with no rotating categories.
- No Annual Fee: Keep your costs low.
- Flexible Redemption: Redeem your cash back for statement credits, gift cards, or travel.
- Considerations:
- If you’re looking for category-specific bonuses, this card may not be the best fit.
Quick details at a glance:
Card Rewards Offer – 1.5% – 5% cash back
Annual Fee – $0
Intro Rewards Bonus – Up to $300 cash back
Here are more detailed features of the Chase Freedom Unlimited®
- INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back!
- Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
- After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
- No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
- No annual fee – You won’t have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
- Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
- Member FDIC
4. Secured Credit Cards
- Why They’re Good for Beginners:
- Building Credit: Secured cards allow you to establish or rebuild credit.
- Low Risk: You’ll need to deposit money as collateral, which makes approval more likely.
- Gradual Transition: Some secured cards can transition you to a regular credit account over time.
- Examples: Look into secured cards from Discover or Capital One.
- Considerations:
- Secured cards typically have low credit limits, so they’re best for beginners who want to start small.
Credit card approval depends on various factors including income, existing debts, and overall credit history.
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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